Tuesday 12 June 2012

2012 Summer Adventure... USA Road Trip Playlist

If you aren't aware already, I'm going to be heading off to the USA on the 21st of June for five weeks all by myself. I'm going to be travelling from Los Angeles in California all the way across the country to Manhattan in New York. I'm going to be hitting up major cities and national parks alike, and with the United States being such a huge country, some days I'm going to be travelling for up to eight hours, so naturally I'm going to need a fantastic playlist of songs which will remind me of the amazing experience in years to come. Here are just a few of the songs I was thinking of adding to the list:


*Venice Beach Los Angeles... I wanted my LA playlist to remind me of sunny weather, US teen dramas like 90210 and fun parties!*

Los Angeles


Party in the USA by Miley Cyrus
Californication by The Red Hot Chilli Peppers
Beverly Hills by Weezer
California Dreamin by The Mamas and The Papas
California Girls by The Beach Boys
California King Bed by Rihanna
California Gurls by Katy Perry
God Only Knows by The Beach Boys
Leaving Jesusland by NOFX
Route 66 by John Mayer
Good Vibrations by The Beach Boys
Hollywood by Madonna 
Surfin' USA by The Beach Boys
Hotel California by The Eagles
Fresh Prince of Bel-Air by Will Smith
Barbara Ann by The Beach Boys
Pretty Woman by Roy Orbison
California Love by Tupac
Help Rhonda by The Beach Boys 
Hey Hey We're The Monkeys by The Monkeys
California by Phantom Planet
Surfin' USA by The Beach Boys
Lala Land by Demi Lovato
Wouldn't It Be Nice by The Beach Boys


*I always thing that San Francisco is quintessentially 'cool' so I picked some songs which strike me as suiting the city!*

San Francisco

San Francisco by The Mamas and The Papas
All I Wanna Do by Sheryl Crow
Under the Bridge by The Red Hot Chilli Peppers
Welcome to the Jungle by Guns N Roses
Don't Marry Her by Beautiful South 
Rock You Like A Hurricane by Scorpions
With Or Without You by U2
Fake Tales of San Francisco by Arctic Monkeys
Don't Stop Believing by Journey
Hey Soul Sister by Train
Won't Get Fooled Again by The Who
Start Me Up by The Rolling Stones


*For my Yosemite/Bishop playlist I've focused mostly on the fact that Yosemite is supposed to be one of the most beautiful and serene places in the USA. So I chose super-chilled yet remarkable songs.*


Yosemite/Bishop

Fireflies by Owl City
Hawiian Air by Friendly Fires
Coffee and Cigarettes by Michelle Featherstone
Jealous Guy by Gavin Degraw
God Bless the Child by Michelle Featherstone
Glad by Tyler Hilton
I Don't Wanna Be by Gavin Degraw
Hallelujah by Kate Voegele
Light Years Away by MoZella
When the Stars Go Blue by Tyler Hilton and Bethany Joy Lenz
Wish You Were by Kate Voegele 
Always Love by Nada Surf
The First Cut Is The Deepest by Sheryl Crow
For Blue Skies by Strays Don't Sleep
Lie In The Sound by Trespassers William
Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For by U2


*Death Valley (so named because of its dangerously hot temperatures) is supposed to be boilingly hot. As I don't do well in super-duper hot temperatures, I decided to choose some fun and cheesy songs which will hopefully cheer me up...*

Death Valley

Feeling Hot Hot Hot by Buster Poindexter
La Bamba by Los Lobos
Fiesta Caliente by Los Illegales
Jump in the Line by Harry Belafonte 
Disco Inferno by The Trammps
Hot Stuff by Donna Summer
El Taqui Taqui by Los Illegales 
The Banana Boat Song by Harry Belafonte


*Las Vegas is known for being a 24 hour party. So I naturally chose a bunch of my favorite party/night out songs, and a few which will hopefully boost my confidence in the casinos!*


Las Vegas

Viva Las Vegas by Elvis Presley
Leaving Las Vegas by Sheryl Crow
Luck be a Lady by Frank Sinatra
You Better You Bet by The Who
Sweetest Thing by U2
Benny and the Jets by Elton John
Paradise City by Guns N Roses
Love on Top by Beyonce
Who Are You by The Who
Suspicious Minds by Elvis Presley
Waking Up in Vegas by Katy Perry
Are You Gonna Go My Way by Lenny Kravitz 
Tik Tok by Ke$ha 
Call Me Maybe by Carly Rae Jepsen


*I imagine myself standing on the edge of the Grand Canyon in awe of how small I am in comparison the amazing sites... so I chose some songs which make me feel on top of the world because of their awesomeness. Don't mock my choices.*

Grand Canyon/Monument Valley/Mesa Verde/Durango

Hear You Me by Jimmy Eat World
Missing You by Tyler Hilton
Speed of Sound by Cold Play
The Good Kind by The Wreckers
Kill by Jimmy Eat World
Re-Offender by Travis
Fix You by Cold Play
Feeling A Moment by Feeder
23 by Jimmy Eat World
Everybody's Changing by Keane
Viva La Vida by Cold Play
Crystal Ball by Keane
Paradise by Cold Play
The Middle by Jimmy Eat World


*I'm totally aware that New Mexico isn't Mexico. However, as a half-Latina I wanted some Latin on my iPod, so I went ahead and put these tunes into my New Mexico playlist. Close enough!*

Taos/Santa Fe/Carlsbad

Bidi Bidi Bom Bom by Selena
Halo by Bethany Joy Lenz
Como la Flor by Selena
New Mexico by Johnny Cash
El Chico Del Apartamento 52 by Selena
Beautiful Day by U2
Baila Esta Cumbia by Selena


*I took the opportunity of being in Texas to play my first bunch of songs which remind me (but only stereotypically) of the Southern States. This playlist is just a bit of fun really :)*

Fort Stockton/San Antonio/The Alamo/Houston

Cotton Eyed Joe by Rednex
Karma Chameleon by Boy George
Is This the Way to Amarillo by Tony Christie 
Rawhide from Rawhide
Sweet Caroline by Neil Diamond
Sweet Home Alabama by Lynard Skynard
Sweet Child O Mine by Guns N Roses
Sweet Home Alabama by Kid Rock
Brown Eyed Girl by Van Morrison 



*As I've never been to New Orleans before, I wasn't quite sure what to choose for this city. However, I just went ahead and chose some souly-dancy tunes because that's what I think I'll want while I'm there.*

New Orleans

Accidentally in Love by Counting Crows
Dancing in the Street by Martha Reeves and the Vandellas 
Flip, Flop and Fly by The Blues Brothers
Johnny B Good by Chuck Berry
Roxanne by Sting and The Police
Everybody Needs Somebody to Love by The Blues Brothers
Mr Tambourine Man by Bob Dylan
Gimme Some Lovin' by The Blues Brothers
My Blue Ridge Mountains Boy by Dolly Parton
Shake Your Tailfeather by Ray Charles and The Blues Brothers
Sultans of Swing by Dire Straits 
Jailhouse Rock by The Blues Brothers
The Saints Are Coming by Green Day and U2


*This is probably the playlist that I'll enjoy the most because the Memphis and Nashville are two cities which represent two of my favorite musical genres: Rock n Roll and Country.* 

Memphis/Nashville/Wytheville/Shenandoah 

Friends in Low Places by Garth Brooks 
Jesus Take the Wheel by Carrie Underwood
Stand By Your Man by Tammy Wynette
All Shook Up by Elvis Presley
Ring of Fire by Johnny Cash
Standing Outside the Fire by Garth Brooks
Don't Forget To Remember Me by Carrie Underwood
The Beaches of Cheyenne by Garth Brooks
Heartbreak Hotel by Elvis Presley
Folsom Prison Blues by Johnny Cash
Before He Cheats by Carrie Underwood
Jolene by Dolly Parton
Small Town by John Mellencamp
Love Me Tender by Elvis Presley 
The Battle of Nashville by Johnny Cash
The Thunder Rolls by Garth Brooks
Jack and Diane by John Mellencamp
Wide Open Spaces by Dixie Chicks
Suspicious Minds by Elvis Presley
Unanswered Prayer by Garth Brooks
Ballad Of A Teenage Queen by Johnny Cash
Country Roads by John Denver
Beautiful Memphis by Johnny Cash
9 to 5 by Dolly Parton
I Wonder by Kellie Pickler
That Summer by Garth Brooks


*My Washington playlist kind of hinges on the fact that I love so many bands that rebel against government! Not very patriotic to the USA but I can't help it. And, I included Crazy in Love by Beyonce because I saw Barrack Obama dancing to it on Ellen and loved him.*



Washington


Sunday Bloody Sunday by U2 
60% by NOFX
We Didn't Start The Fire by Billy Joel
USA-Holes by NOFX
Crazy in Love by Beyonce
Seeing Double at the Triple-Rock by NOFX
Dear Mr President by Pink
The Marxist Brothers by NOFX
Mr Blue Sky by Electric Light Orchestra
The Man I Killed by NOFX
The District Sleeps Alone by The Postal Service
Benny Got Blowed Up by NOFX
Kissing the Lipless by The Shins
Leaving Jesusland by NOFX
Life in Technicolour Part 2 by Cold Play
Getting High On the Down Low by NOFX
Jesus of Suburbia by Green Day


*So many cool songs that mention New York City so I included some of them plus a few songs which I felt would be perfect to finish my trip on!*

Manhattan

I Will Follow You Into The Dark by Death Cab for Cutie
Moving to New York by The Wombats
America by Razorlight
Waterfall by The Stone Roses
English Man In New York by Sting and The Police
Hey There Delilah by The Plain White T's
For the First Time by The Script
We Are Young by Fun
Baba O'Reilly by The Who
Angel of Harlem by U2
Breakaway by Kelly Clarkson
She Will Be Loved by Maroon 5
Alone by Heart
Buck Rogers by Feeder
The Mixtape by Jacks Mannequin
Mixtape by Butch Walker

So that's my provisional playlist of songs for my trip! I've literally spent the past three hours with my dad and sister coming up with these songs and I'm obviously going to come up with a bunch more over the next week and a half, but its good to have a provisional list. My blessed little sister has agreed to take care of my iPod for my in terms of loading all the songs on as its so time-consuming and she's doing it as a kind of 'going away' present. She'll add a few songs which she thinks I'll like too as a surprise, so I can't wait.

Can you think of any other songs which should be on my playlist? Are you laughing at my (so-called by my sister) 'terrible' taste in music? Have you ever been on a trip like I'm doing?

Love and snuggles
gabriellasofia
x

9 comments:

  1. The only one I can think of is definitely Empire State of Mind for New York! ;)
    I did LA/San Francisco/Vegas/Grand Canyon a few years ago with family and it was so much fun, San Francisco is one of my favourite cities in the world. I'm going to New York and Canada over Christmas, which I'm so excited for. Have a good trip! x

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  2. What an exciting adventure slightly jealous your getting to see so much of the country - it's such a huge country that I don't know where to start!

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  3. I loved reading this post! When I went to LA in February I filled my iPod with Cali-themed songs and they were awesome to listen to whilst I was there.

    Here's a few ideas...

    Fenech Solar - LA Love
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gKT9c_Pb-tQ

    Alicia Keys & Jay-Z - New York
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0UjsXo9l6I8

    Razorlight - America
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V9NhncU5_CE

    M83 - Midnight City
    Not exactly American themed but it's a great uplifting song.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dX3k_QDnzHE

    Same with these...

    The Temper Trap - Sweet Disposition
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jxKjOOR9sPU

    The Vaccines - Wetsuit
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5tr5ptnUoDE

    Hope you like some of them!
    So jealous of your USA trip, it's going to be AMAZING!

    Charlotte xo

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  4. Why no Walking in Memphis?! Put on my BLUE SUEDE SHOES!!! Best song everz xxx

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  5. Just looking at this makes me so jealous! Seriously so jealous! Xx

    Candycaneheart.blogspot.co.uk

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  6. That's a great playlist and I love the way you split it into parts of the trip! xxx

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  7. oh wow, you are going to have an amazing time! You have to post about it :)
    Carissa xx

    Vanilla Crush Blog

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  8. neil young-free world

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  9. OMGASH! So jeal!! Hope you have an amazing time and keep safe sweetheart! Take loaaads pics too. :D

    Planning a trip across the US is something i've ALWAYS wanted to do: How did you plan it and do you have any tips?

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